Lunch was designed for Taco Bell. The purple and gold colors of the store are no coincidence: Taco Bell sells food for royalty.
Taco Bell is located approximately 7 to 12 minutes from campus, depending on traffic and the aggressiveness of the driver, and is surrounded by more boujee options of food, including Ikes and La Cueva, two stores which both serve delicious lunch items.
But, of course, I am a poor, cash-strapped high school student who has a budget of $50 a week, and I cannot afford to spend $15 on lunch, nor do I have the time to order La Cueva over the phone or Ike’s online.
Taco Bell is for my fellow low-maintenance people who are nice to their bank accounts and don’t want to endure the hassle of always having to plan ahead on lunch destinations.
The drive-thru line is usually very efficient and I can get back to school on time even if I leave campus at 12:15. Once, my friend and I made it through the drive-thru in 3 minutes.
People think of Taco Bell and they think bean, cheese, beef, chicken and tacos all squished together in a disgustingly processed meal. But trust me. Taco Bell has your every need and desire at a fraction of the price that other lunch locations demand.
Hear me out. Want a taco? Order a taco. Want a deluxe version of a taco? Get a Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Want something without beef? Chicken quesadilla. Vegetarian? Cheesy rollup. Vegan? Nacho fries. Something that’s easy to eat while driving? Crunchwrap supreme. Feeling healthy? Soft taco, Fresca style. Drink? Baja blast freeze. Fizzy drink? Spiked lemonade.
Also, Taco Bell’s $5 boxes are the epitome of bargain eats. For $5, customers receive a special item with two tacos and a drink. The special item changes every month or so, but previous items include nacho fries, double gordita crunch, a Chalupa Supreme and Chicken Chalupas. Lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and avocado ranch perfectly arranged inside a shell of hot fried chicken make Chicken Chalupas my personal favorite item.
After discovering the endless wonders of Taco Bell, I realized that I don’t even crave Mexican food like La Cueva or Chipotle anymore. I only crave Taco Bell.
Taco Bell isn’t a low-quality meal option — the Mexican version of McDonald’s — as some people might think. It is convenient, versatile, delicious, affordable and quick, making it the best lunch destination near campus.